Review with spoilers for the third season of Virgin River, which featured death,
pregnancy and the protagonist couple in a great dilemma.
Virgin River is the kind of series that I can’t stop watching on Netflix.
I don’t know because of the very calm vibe, which reminds me of old Warner attractions like Everwood. Or if it’s due to the lack of quality content on the platform… The point is that whenever a new season premieres, I want to watch it all at once. And then, that emptiness comes, when we finish another installment.
And this new season decided to take risks in many ways. As the synopsis itself warned, the conflicts involving the protagonist couple went far beyond staying or not staying together. In fact, the pregnancy has become a central point in the Jack and Mel equation. But, in the same way, the story managed to divide it equally, so that all the supporting characters shined in due time. With a death and tense moments, the third season of Virgin River was spot on.
No wedding and a funeral
As we mentioned, here at Mix de Séries, unfortunately the actress Annette O’Toole – who plays Mayor Hope – was unable to participate in the recordings due to travel restrictions. Therefore, her character was left out during all the episodes. Obviously, this affected the expected and scheduled plot for her vow renewal with Doc. And, equally, the impact that the doctor’s illness would have – since he made quite a mystery at the end of the second season.
Script changes aside, this moment itself was quite strange. But it ended up giving the opportunity for another sad plot in the series, which was Lilly’s cancer. Particularly, seeing her grow up on screen, along with her daughter Tara, was one of the highlights of the third season of Virgin River.
I confess that with each episode I became more sad knowing that someone as cool as Lilly was going to leave. It’s a shame, in fact, that Hope can’t participate in this farewell moment. Without a doubt it would have been even more exciting.
But it was precisely Lilly’s death that ended up triggering an imbalance in Hope’s return to the city, resulting in an accident that put the character on the brink of death – and in the hospital, right at the end. The final credits of the last episode appeared without us knowing what will happen to the mayor, but something tells me that she will come out of this. After all, we need to see these two renew their vows.
Who shot Jack? We don `t know yet!
Even though I enjoyed the season, unfortunately, I wish the third season had explored Jack’s shooting more. And that, without a doubt, would have revealed the person who fired the shot. Taking this mystery into the fourth season makes it exhausting for the viewer, especially placing Brady as the main suspect, when we know that in the end it wasn’t him.
It’s worth noting that Jack’s shooting plot brought his sister to Virgin River, who ended up getting involved with Brady himself. And they even formed a cute couple, although each one had turbulent conflicts and problems so they could live a stable and common relationship.
Other points of the season gained prominence
I liked that we saw more of Ricky and Lizzie. But I thought the boy’s immaturity was terrible, especially when he enlisted in the Navy almost on a whim. If I started the season still finding Lizzie unlikable, I ended up liking her. Mainly because she seemed understandable and kind in several situations. The ending, with her bringing music for Doc to listen to at the hospital, while waiting for news about Hope, was really cute.
Preacher, unfortunately, is trapped in Page’s son’s plot. And I feel that, due to lack of time, this wasn’t explored much in the season. But, given the way he ended up, passed out, and with the boy possibly kidnapped by his father’s twin brother, I believe Page could return to the series and we’ll see more action from this plot that, by far, is the least interesting, in my opinion.
Mel continues to be the soul of the series
I fall in love every time Alexandra Breckenridge appears on the scene as Mel. And, in this season in particular, the character had great conflicts involving pregnancy.
Mel wants to have children, almost like a vocation that was interrupted by the miscarriages she suffered with Mark. But Jack has twins on the way and they aren’t in sync. Although it took 10 episodes to finally settle, the ending ended up revealing that the character ended up pregnant. But she doesn’t know whose baby it is.While she went to Los Angeles, she underwent artificial insemination with her ex-husband’s embryo, which created doubt in the character. Even though the son is Jack’s, I believe this was one of the best plots of the season, showing Mel’s layers and the fact that she carries a lot of pain that still needs to be healed.
